Sports Briefs

AGENCIES

■FOOTBALL

QB accused of assault

A civil lawsuit has been filed in Nevada against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger by a woman who accuses him of sexually assaulting her in a Lake Tahoe hotel room last July. Roethlisberger’s lawyer, David Cornwell, said Roethlisberger denied the charge. According to the civil complaint filed last Friday in the Second Judicial District Court in Washoe County, Nevada, the woman accused Roethlisberger of assault while he was a guest at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, where she is an employee. The suit is also for libel and slander and is filed against nine defendants, including Roethlisberger. The eight others are reportedly employees at Harrah’s whom the woman accused of defaming her after the assault. Roethlisberger was in Lake Tahoe last July for a celebrity golf tournament. The woman said she was working on the penthouse floor at Harrah’s where Roethlisberger was staying when he assaulted her in his hotel room. She is seeking damages of at least US$390,000.

■FOOTBALL

Anthony buys Miami share

Singer Marc Anthony is the latest music star to join forces with the Miami Dolphins, with the team announcing on Tuesday that he will become a minority owner. Singer Gloria Estefan and her husband, producer Emilio Estefan, also bought a small stake in the club last month. New Dolphins owner Stephen Ross also began a partnership in May with Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville enterprise, which includes Land Shark Lager. Buffett has yet to accept Ross’ invitation to become a minority owner, but the Dolphins’ stadium has been renamed Land Shark Stadium for this season. Buffett has also written a song for the team. Anthony is married to singer-actress Jennifer Lopez. He has sold more than 10 million albums and is also an actor.

■BASEBALL

MLB suspends Sveum

Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum has been suspended for three games and fined for aggressive actions toward the umpires following Sunday’s game against the Reds in Cincinnati, MLB said on Tuesday. After home plate umpire Kevin Causey called out Craig Counsell on strikes to end a 5-3 Reds win, Sveum berated Causey on his way to the umpires’ dressing room, prompting crew chief Derryl Cousins to step in.

■ICE HOCKEY

Coyotes re-acquire Vrbata

Right wing Radim Vrbata has been re-acquired by the Phoenix Coyotes from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a trade for left wing Todd Fedoruk and defenseman David Hale, the NHL teams said on Tuesday. “He [Vrbata] had a career year for us in 2007-08 and is a talented forward who can help us offensively next season,” Coyotes general manager Don Maloney said on the team’s Web site.

■BASKETBALL

Burks shot, hospitalized

Former NBA and Euroleague guard Antonio Burks was in critical condition at a Memphis hospital on Tuesday after being shot a day earlier during a robbery. The 29-year-old, a former player for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, underwent surgery on Monday night after being shot in the lower part of his torso, authorities at the Memphis Regional Medical Center said. Police said Burks and four other men were in a backyard when robbed by three other men, who shot Burks and another man who was not identitifed but was also in critical condition. Burks spent two seasons with the Grizzlies, averaging 2.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 81 games from 2004 through 2006.